The Thomson Bulldogs will make their first ever trip to Glenn Hills' new stadium tomorrow night for a crucial sub-region 3-AAA North encounter with the Spartans. Glenn Hills will carry a 5-0 sub-region record into the contest, a game that will wrap up their regular season schedule.

Thomson will need a victory over the Spartans and Butler next week to claim the top spot in the sub-region without any tiebreaker scenarios becoming involved. Glenn Hills handed Butler their lone sub-region loss 32-20 on September 17. Butler should pick up a win over Richmond Academy tomorrow night.

Like Thomson, Glenn Hills has lost only once on the season, 14-7 to Hart County in the second week of the season. Comparatively speaking, the Bulldogs have fared much better against sub-region competition than Glenn Hills. The Spartans beat Cross Creek 16-8, Harlem 21-12, Hephzibah 20-13, and ARC 26-7. Glenn Hills also beat Liberty County 22-13 and their other wins were 29-0 over Josey and 22-14 over Richmond Hill.

Reports are that unlike in years past, Glenn Hills coach Felix Curry does not spread the field and try to throw the ball all over the park. Going all the way back to the 1980s, the Spartans traditionally never met a pass play they didn't like.

Region 3-AAA will open the state playoffs against teams from Region 1-AAA on Nov. 5. Cairo and Crisp County will decide that region's championship next week. There are only four other schools in that region, Worth County, and Albany schools, Dougherty, Westover and Monroe.

Pending outcomes of games of the final two Fridays, it appears that Jefferson County, South Effingham and Burke Co. from the south sub-region will join Thomson, Glenn Hills and Butler from the north as the contenders for 3-AAA's four playoff berths. Complicating matters is the fact that the region, by necessity, is subdivided and all the schools did not play each other.

Thomson alum and Georgia linebacker Danny Verdun-Wheeler was featured on Coach Mark Richt's television show last Sunday. His tackle of Vanderbilt running back Jeff Jennings that resulted in a safety in Georgia's 33-3 win over Vanderbilt was highlighted as the "play-of-the-game."

I kidded Danny after the South Carolina game, telling him that if he could catch he would now be a household name in the Bulldog Nation. Danny dropped what appeared to be a sure interception right in his hands against the Gamecocks. There was nothing but 20 yards of clear sailing to the end zone in front of him. He got himself in the scoring column against Vandy with a play that he never misses, a solo tackle.

All kidding aside, Danny has gone to Athens and made himself a bonafide starter on one of the nation's best defenses. We can only expect him to get better with two more years ahead of him.

I want to make note of the Georgia Southern Eagles. Since losing the opener to Georgia 48-28, Southern is outscoring their opponents by an average of 56-12 for a 5-1 record. They're well on their way to a Division 1-AA playoff berth and, hopefully, a national championship.